When I am weak, I am strong.

Sometimes I have sobering moments where I become intensely conscious of my weaknesses. For me, realizing my limitations is somewhat painful because it reminds me that I am weak; that I am inadequate. 

We all are.

And recently my prayers have been repetitive: “Lord I cannot do this but for You; Lord, if I am capable of this, it is only through You; Lord, this has to be You because I am helpless.”

But it always has to be God.

When we realize our limitations; when we realize our weaknesses, we do not have to wallow in an abyss filled with our lack of abilities.  Rather, we become beyond capable through Christ.  Realizing our weaknesses and imperfections emphasizes that which makes us able.   And that which makes us able is the power of Christ that rests on us.

When we are weak, we are strong. 

But we are not strong on our own right.  We are strong only because being aware of our weaknesses causes us to rely fully on Christ.  Relying fully on Christ means Christ’s power rests on us.

Christ does not make us solely capable.  Christ equips us beyond what we need.  It would be impossible to recount the times that I have cried out to the Lord because I am unqualified, inept, incapable, or weak.  During these times, I become acutely aware of Christ’s power in me.  And it feels surreal.  And I act surprised as if it has not happened before.  It is during those times that I become more capable than I ever could be on my own.  It is during those times; it is during my weakest moments that the Lord’s work through me exponentially increases. 

What an absurdity: when we are at our weakest point, we are at our strongest point.  What a beautiful reality that denying ourselves means receiving that which is far greater than ourselves.  Christ’s power rests on us in its fullest measure when we are keenly aware of our utter helplessness without Him.  Were one to externally assess these situations where I have been entirely helpless, one would think that it was I who caused the situation to end positively.  In reality, those were the times when I was wholly aware of my reliance on Christ.  While it is certainly true that we are always wholly dependent on God, we are not always wholly aware of that dependence. 

If it is our weaknesses; if is our limitations that propel our awareness of this dependence, then we must praise God for them. 

Christ’s power rests on me.  Christ’s power rests on you.

And so I will rejoice in these weaknesses, even when it hurts.  I pray you rejoice too.      

“But he has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”   (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 NIV).

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. . . .”  (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NIV).

Speaking of my weaknesses.  Hello, sugarfreepeppermintmochacreamer.  Get in my mouth.

Much love to you,

Paige